Jerk Taco Man: You're a Jerk (I Know)
Junior jerk steak taco @ Jerk Taco Man
[this is an archived post from my old blog. I will be slowly migrating, and editing, these posts]
EDIT 6/21/19: THIS PLACE HAS MOVED! Check it out at 7723 S State Street in Englewood.
Jerk Taco Man
Recommended by: Thrillist
Location: 4001 W. Jackson Boulevard
Neighborhood: West Garfield Park
Category: Hybrid
Who's into some Jamaican Jerk Tacos?! I'm not going to lie you guys - I was excited about these having become a fan of Jamaican Jerk food when I was in Jamaica with fellow taco connoisseur and ride or die babe, Sara Seibt, PLUS when I scoped the place out on Yelp it looked deliciously unhealthy - can you say hi to melted cheese?
Anyway, it was easy to get to as well - or it would have been had Sara not had the sniffles and insisted on taking a Lyft who then decided to drive around the continent before picking us up.
Anywhoo... It is to my understanding that this place has moved a lot and comes from humble beginnings. Which is exciting! The garage door was not open when we went cause it was cold so it was a bit smoky in there which I didn't mind at all because it smelled awesome! (And my hair smelled like bonfire for the rest of the night - my mom noticed). It was a little crowded too, but, hey, I don't mind making new friends!
To the point, the tacos:
First off, we ordered the JUNIOR tacos and it was still a HELLUVA lotta meat. I mean, whoa, I had to take it home and eat it with a fricken fork, the tortilla could barely handle the mountain of meat inside. The regular taco comes with a whopping 1/2 meat. I'm sorry, but that's basically a burrito. But that's none of my business.
Or maybe it is?
Whatever.
I got the jerk chicken and the jerk steak and was not able to finish either, which is a reflection of the size, not the deliciousness. Because they were tasty, The steak gave off a very smokey grill flavor that I really enjoyed, while the jerk chicken seemed to fit the bill perfectly for Jamaican Jerk - though it did start to feel a little too salty when I was a good way into the taco. They also packed some heat! Which I loved, because I love me some spicy. It was a good level, just hot enough to feel it without overpowering the taco. That being said, it took a spicy-food novice like Sara out of the game after only a couple of bites.
Therefore. WE HAVE ANOTHER GUEST JUDGE!!!
Introducing Stormy Seibt, aka Sara's father, who took one for the team and finished Sara's taco when she couldn't handle it anymore.
So, in the words of Stormy:
"My rating is Taco rating = 3.0
Taco meat could have been tenderer but a nice quantity, had a little mild spice kick, which was nice. Presentation was very nice. Recommend."
Stormy's rating was a little harsher than my own - I'd give the Tacos a solid 3.75 - I agree on the tenderness but I really appreciated the barbecue vibes and the spiciness of the tacos - in fact, I wouldn't say no to one of the tacos right now.
But since this is a democracy, the tacos get a respectable 3.375. The restaurant itself I'm giving a 2.5 - because it was a little hectic and confusing in there and the bulletproof glass made it hard to communicate with the taco preparers when they asked what you wanted on your taco. But, it won't hurt the taco score, so we're good to go.
Recommended? Um.... meh. I'm not going to seek this place out, but if someone wants jerk, I'm going to recommend this place. So it's a conditional recommendation.